


Missions We Take

by sweetsalsa



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Cops, Enemies to Friends, Friends to Lovers, Gavin & North are assholes but we love them anyway, Gen, Has Too Many Characters, Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Even Know, Implied Relationships, Kamski is Kamski, Nonsense, Other, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Torture, Possible Robot Gore, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Slash, Shady Cyberlife, This whole story is probably just my excuse to set up Gavin and Rupert, and calm North the fuck down, and crap on Cyberlife, and give Josh a pair, and hurt Connor (why?), and make Leo and Markus brothers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-12 00:54:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15984140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetsalsa/pseuds/sweetsalsa
Summary: Connor is consecutively attacked by a group of androids and humans. In the aftermath, Hank attempts to help Connor navigate his feelings. To facilitate the investigation the DPD takes on android officers, and Gavin is unhappily tasked with training inexperienced Rupert. Josh and North’s own investigation forces them to pick a side. Meanwhile, Leo and Chloe delve into the secrets of a trillion dollar company.A.K.A: Four couples, one Cyberlife, and a whole lotta feelings.





	1. The Incident

**Author's Note:**

> Story Note: So this primarily a Hank & Connor and Gavin& Rupert fic, but it focuses on others too. I’d say if you are unsure if this fic is for you I suggest reading the first three chapter as by then you’ll have seen each of the main character’s POV (except Leo who appears in Ch. 5).
> 
> Chapter Note: This first chapter may read oddly because I rewrote it many times through many different POV. The tone of the original version was a lot different than this one. 
> 
> WARNINGS: It’s probably best to stay away from this fic if you’re easily triggered by talk of rape, torture, or abuse- including childhood. It won’t be actively happening in the story but people will flashback or talk about it at multiple times throughout the fic.

Gavin Reed did not like androids. Despite what his actions “implied” he didn’t care about them or see them as people. Hatred, yep, the only emotion Gavin felt towards them. So what if he stood in the center of ‘Plastic FreakVille’ investigating a case that involved a fellow officer? It didn’t mean anything. And technically, Connor wasn’t even an official officer. Although, that was only because laws weren’t in place that allowed android employment, because Connor was a better officer than most or whatever. Gavin still didn’t like him.

Gavin scrunched his nose trying to sort out his feelings. He hated androids. He hated Connor. He wanted to kill the motherfuckers who touched a member of the Detroit Police Department. Yep, that was about it; made about as much sense as the rest of Gavin’s feelings. Fuckin’ androids.

“Is there anything else you need?”

Gavin grinned nastily before bowing low, “Your highness! Has our presence offended thee off the throne?”

“You’re making my people upset. I don’t want an incident.”

Gavin’s grin faded into a smirk. Markus was an asshole. “Well your _people_ shouldn’t have fucked with one of our own.”

“Connor is-”

“The police make everyone upset. Humans and Androids have that in common.” Chris Miller intervened, of course, because no one ever let Gavin have fun. “No one is actually comfortable when we’re around.”

“It’s not just that. You’re also humans, and we generally don’t allow,” Markus paused briefly choosing his words carefully, “non-androids on these premises.”

“Don’t worry. You won’t see us here again.” Hell if Gavin would show up for any android besides Connor. Not that he liked Connor. He didn’t. Absolutely not. Even if Connor had neglected to mention Gavin’s attempt on his life, or if Connor was the reason the department’s lieutenant had sobered up, and definitely not if Connor allowed Gavin to get all the praise at the crime scene last week. He didn’t owe him anything. Whatever. “We ain’t taking android distress calls.”

“Next time we should have some android officers with us,” Miller supplied while gesturing toward a small group.

Gavin recognized some of the crew as former rent-a-plastic-cops the precinct used to fill their ranks and take on menial tasks. Gavin distinctly remembered them standing by no matter how many times he shoulder checked or tossed shit in their direction, but now they didn’t look like they’d take such things. Idly, Gavin wondered if Jingles still jangled. Whatever, they’d still be rookies and rookies got the same shitty treatment regardless of their blood color. Regardless if- they weren’t even people! Whatever.

Markus turned from Gavin toward Chris, “The laws aren’t exactly in place to allow-,”

“Fowler intends to set a precedent. Connor is one of us and these guys were- are too. We just didn’t know it at the time. They’re interested, and we need help with cases like this one.  We’re severely limited in the actions we can take in regards to criminal activity among androids. Considering your personhood we can’t just shoot you if you commit a crime, but chasing after you on foot is not possible for us humans. The last few months have been- difficult. We need Androids on the force or we’ll never be able to allow you proper justice. The commissioner agrees, but he says his hands are tied. Our precinct intends to untie them.” Chris blushed and looked awkward.

Gavin sighed, annoyed. Awkwardness wasn’t really something Gavin did. He was loud and proud and even if he didn’t know what the fuck was going on he never let anyone else in on that fact, but Chris wasn’t like that. Chris had openly spoken about a lot of regrets. Gavin hadn’t understood why Chris cared so much.  They had been machines; machines that had broken curfew and paraded around the street in the middle of the night. What else was an officer supposed to do? Gavin would have unapologetically shot them, though unlike Chris, Gavin knew his own mouth would have prevented him from being spared by Android Jesus.

 “Will they be paid?”

“Volunteers only for now.” Chris admitted; he looked guilty again. Gavin thought about intervening and explaining they were damn lucky it was even a consideration, but he didn’t.  “But they know that. They’re the ones who volunteered, and we will be logging their hours to set up some sort of compensation when the laws finally do pass.”

“Connor’s android attackers will never be caught without us.” One of the androids, Linus, who’d mainly been used during traffic accidents, spoke, “Pay or not we have to do this. Connor is one of us and one of us.”

“An android and an officer.” A female model supplied.

Markus sighed but after a moment nodded. “Okay, but listen. You’re not their slaves. They can’t force you to do anything you don’t want to.”

“We know that. Thank you, Markus.”

Gavin smirked at the opportunity. “Must Obey Overloard! Must Obey!”

“Shut the fuck up Reed.”

Gavin looked up in surprise. “Wh-what are you doing here, Captain?”

“After what Chris told me you think I wouldn’t be?”

Gavin frowned. He hadn’t thought of calling the captain, but it made sense that Miller did. They had shared a look of concern when they’d first seen Connor. The look on the android detective’s face was one they’d seen many times over the course of the last six months. Physically androids could take a lot and were easily fixable, but emotionally- emotional pain didn’t mix well with androids and more than a few times Gavin had witnessed them self-destruct. Sure, Gavin didn’t like androids but the brutality of self-destruction had lost its amusement pretty damn quickly, and the rumors said that before Anderson’s intervention Connor had nearly crushed his own skull against the wall. Connor self-destructing!  Gavin’s stomach turned as he tried to shake the mental image of the pretentious android having a break down, thankfully, his thought process was interrupted.

 “Excuse me, Captain?” a female android addressed Fowler.

 “Miller filled me in. Just fill out the appropriate paperwork and get it to my email or on my desk as soon as you can.”

“Oh. Thank you, Captain.” She looked bashful and Gavin wondered when android’s started getting embarrassed. “Um, are you going to see Connor?”

“Yes.”

“Can you- will you offer this to him.” She held out a small ring. In its dullness Gavin took a moment to recognize the LED. “Please? I was keeping it just- just as a reminder, but I want him to have it. I made the choice to remove mine. They-” Her voice broke and her eyes filled with sorrow, “they forcibly removed his.”

Fowler nodded as Gavin muttered, “I’m gunna kill those fucking assholes.”

 

* * *

As Jeffrey Fowler walked past him Rupert watched closely trying to gage the mood of the police captain. Rupert didn’t exactly trust humans, but he had learned in the last few months that they weren’t all bad. Many humans supported the android cause and apologized for their former behavior. Even Urban Farms had offered temporary housing to their former workers. Rupert hadn’t taken them up on the offer preferring to idle in the park until the former residents of Hillcrest Community obtained their buy-out checks from Carl Manfred, but the fact that housing had been offered wasn’t lost on him. It was worth the risk, Rupert thought, to give human’s a chance, and with Detroit’s Central Police Station recruiting androids Rupert saw too many benefits to let fear stop him.

Rupert had been one of the first to see Connor, the former deviant hunter, approaching the hills that afternoon. He hadn’t recognized Connor at first, but when he realized who the android was Rupert’s thirium pump had been sent into overdrive. Connor had been covered in copious amounts of his own thirium, his skin blinked in and out, he could barely walk, and both of his arms dangled outside of their sockets. It had all been horrifying. Rupert hated seeing people hurt. Injuries made him feel panicky, yet he had a strong desire to help those who had been hurt and becoming an officer would allow Rupert to do that.

Plus, a little more selfishly, taking the job now would allow him to get his own house after android employment laws were in place. His apartment at Manfred Hills was nice but his roommates didn’t like birds or other animals like Rupert did. They didn’t understand Rupert’s love of paper books, or his collection of different colored ties. They thought him strange and left him feeling ostracized among his own people.

Markus often discouraged their people from reconnecting with former professions and owners but a good number of androids who’d been in public servant positions such as police officers, hospital workers, and firefighters disagreed and were eager to return to their previous sectors of employment. It was obvious why after Rupert saw the congregation of DPD officer’s immediately after Connor’s incident. They were clearly very close and considered Connor one of their own. It reinforced Rupert’s idea that the type of employment public service android’s had taken part in facilitated a type of family unit. A family unit that was more important than blood color. Rupert liked the idea that like Connor, who was also an outcast among the android community, he could find a place to belong with the humans.

It was worth a try and Rupert was determined to do it even if he was scared.

 

* * *

Josh’s second of hesitation was all North needed to move past him and toward Captain Fowler.

“Who the fuck are-”

 “Captain Fowler?” Josh interrupted, “Markus said you were on your way. Go ahead. That way- third door on the left.” North glared at Josh who dared to return the look once the captain had passed. “Come on, I know you got that message too.”

She had. It didn’t matter. Unlike Josh North didn’t follow Markus’ word to the letter anymore. Their so-called leader had proven himself soft too many times. His reconciliation with his former master was one of his worst crimes against their people even if it had led to the establishment of an android community with 375 houses, two apartment complexes, a park, and the community center that they were standing in.

North brushed Josh aside with a shrug of her shoulder. Despite the reasons for it she hated that humans were running around freely in their home. Hank Anderson was the only one she didn’t mind. After all, the lieutenant had nearly thrown his life away trying to prevent Connor’s self-destruction, and fuck, even if North didn’t really like or even trust Connor who was way too fucking private and refused anyone who asked to interface, she had no desire to see the former deviant hunter self-destruct.

She glanced back into the room where said destruction nearly occurred. Hank still had his arms protectively around Connor but he was talking to his boss with a glint in his eye that she recognized. He wanted revenge.

North wanted revenge too. On so many people, for so many reasons, but she’d be happy to start with the humans that thought they could use the detective, the only android detective in the country, as a sex object. At her sides her fists clenched. She itched to get her hands on the humans. To wrap her fingers around their throats and feel their futile struggle for- 

“Come on, North.” Josh said in his ever patronizing tone, “Let’s give them privacy.”

“We have to do something.” She crossed her arms and tapped her foot waiting for Josh to argue that the humans were on the case or that some of their own people were joining the police department. That doesn’t matter, she would reply. Stop waiting for others to take care of your problems, she would snap.

“Not right now we don’t. Let’s just- we’ll talk to Markus about this in the morning.”

North narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to disagree, but Josh hadn’t exactly disagreed with her. His reaction had been unexpected. Maybe, Josh had finally grown a pair- so to speak. After a beat she shrugged and said, “Fine, at first light.”

 


	2. Hank's Bad Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: descriptions of rape. Robot gore.  
> Note: Connor is ooc but considering the circumstances i'm sure he can be forgiven. P.S. see next chapter for less ooc

As Connor shuddered Hank leaned his head down and pressed a soft kiss against his partner’s temple. A red LED should have been there, but all Hank felt was smooth artificial skin. It had been Connor’s choice to keep his LED. One of the first choices his partner had made of his own free will. It should have been there. It would have been there if those motherfuckers hadn’t- Hank sighed sure he’d been aged by at least 20 years in the last few hours. He closed his eyes and chose to nuzzle his nose into Connor’s hair instead of allowing his mind to run. His android was sure to notice the spike in his blood pressure so even if he couldn’t control it completely he had to remain as calm as possible for Connor’s sake.

In the front of Hank’s old ass car Jeffrey Fowler cleared his throat. Hank didn’t respond; didn’t need to.

The drive from Manfred Hill’s Android Community was only a few minutes from Hank’s house, and the lack of traffic didn’t add to it, yet the car ride seemed to have been the longest one since… Hank sighed again. He definitely couldn’t allow his thoughts to head in that direction. He needed to focus. For once in a long time focus on someone other than himself and his past demons.

“Hank?” Connor’s quiet voice broke through Hank’s thoughts.

“Shh, it’s okay; we’re almost home, baby.”

“Okay.” Connor’s voice sounded small and unsure. Fuck if that didn’t hurt more than anything.

“You want the radio?” Jeffrey asked watching them from the rear-view mirror.

“Nah.”

“You know, I know it won’t do any good or change your mind, but as your boss it needs to be said: you need to get yourself a God damn autonomous car, Hank.”

“Fuck you, Jeffrey.” Hank smirked. There was no bite in his words and Jeffrey just chuckled.

There was a taxi parked in front of Hank’s house when they arrived so by the time Connor and Hank pushed through their front door their captain was gone. Sumo, unaware of the horrible events of the day, bound toward them with a happy bark.

“Down, Sumo!” Hank called, but as had become the norm the dog ignored him and went straight to Connor.

Connor, slower than normal, bent down to pet him. “Hey, Sumo.”

Sumo, his paws pressed up against Connor’s stomach, whined and looked back at Hank as if to ask if something was wrong with his favorite owner.

“Connor’s not feeling well, but don’t worry. I’m going to make sure those bastards that hurt him pay.” The words seemed to satisfy the Saint Bernard who turned his attention back toward Connor. “Take care of him. I’ll be back.”

Hank let Sumo keep guard as he transferred Connor’s pillows and blankets from his room to Hank’s .  Connor had been ‘sleeping’ in Cole’s room since late December, ever since the Christmas tree incident, but every so often he crawled into Hank’s bed looking for a quiet conversation or simply because he felt that Hank needed it. Hank was a full grown man and he definitely didn’t need a babysitter to stay up watching over him. Still, he had to admit, even if it was only ever to himself, that it was nice to have someone there on the nights he felt far too lonely or his thoughts ran dark. Connor’s voice droning on and on about something new he discovered or running down the full script of a 1950’s movie was something Hank leaned was better at easing his nerves than the most expensive whiskey.

Today, he’d almost lost that. He’d almost lost his best friend and companion not just once but three times in one day; first to a group of androids, then a group of humans, and finally to Connor himself. As if on cue, pain shot through Hank’s arm. He glanced down at his swollen wrist that was becoming far too purple. Connor’s grip and blind thrashing had definitely left Hank with a few marks and what he knew was going to be a black eye. It didn’t fucking matter to Hank but Connor- he knew his android well and the guy was going to make a big fuss about it in the morning.

“Fuck.” Hank muttered, leaving the bed haphazardly made. It didn’t matter anyway. Connor couldn’t really get cold and Hank was sure to toss all night.

When Hank entered the kitchen again he found Connor on his knees face buried in his hands. Hank’s heart clenched at the sight. Sumo was nudging Connor’s shoulder and whining again.

“Baby,” Hank sighed and rushed over wrapping his arms quickly around his android.

 “I’m sorry, Hank!

“Baby, we went over this. There’s no reason to be sorry. It’s okay.”

Hank shuddered suddenly overwhelmed by thoughts of Manfred Hills.

_It’s okay, baby_ , the words had tumbled from his mouth and Hank didn’t care that Markus had fixed him with a curious look. All he wanted was to stop his Connor from slamming his body against the wall in attempted self-destruction and it had worked. _Baby. Shh. It’s okay. I’m not disappointed. Shh. Don’t be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong. Shh. Baby. Shh. It’s okay, baby_.  Maybe he’d earned a few bruises too but Connor had calmed down and that was all that fucking mattered.

 “…it’s my fault…” Connor mumbled and Hank felt embarrassed to have been lost in his thoughts.

“It’s _not_ your fault.”

“I feel…” Connor paused unsure, but Hank knew. Shame was clear on Connor’s face.

“Go ahead, baby.”

“…dirty.” Connor buried his face in his hands again, “I don’t feel it physically, but inside I still feel-  it doesn’t make any sense! It’s not possible to be emotionally dirty!”

Hank bit his bottom lip. He’d seen it before: a result of being violated. It was common for victims like Connor. It had been awhile since Hank had been assigned a case regarding such things, but it was nothing someone could forget. “I could draw you up a bath. You should get cleaned up before bed anyway. I know you don’t have muscles but the pressure of the water might be good for you. There’s no harm in it, anyway, all the evidence-”

“They took out my thirium pump.”

It was only seconds, but Hank was sure that Connor’s words had stopped time. His heartbeat thumped inside his ears clogging them with a whooshing sound.

“What?!”

“The humans.  It was already loose from the android attackers and I- with my arms the way they were I wasn’t able to secure it. They took out my thirium pump and put- they put-” Connor’s voice suddenly raised a few octaves, “one of them- shit! He- Hank I can’t!”

“Fucking-” Hank’s heart slammed against his chest, he felt himself flush hot and cold, and he knew his eyes had bugged out. He couldn’t help it when he shouted, “why the hell didn’t you tell me before?!”

“I c-couldn’t, Hank.” Connor was rocking on his knees and his hands had flown to his hair tugging at it roughly, “I knew I was supposed to. I knew you were gathering information for the incident report and taking evidence. But Chris was there. Detective Reed was- I just FUCKING couldn’t!”

“Ok. Okay. It’s okay. I-” The detective in Hank said, _get the DNA evidence_ , the person in him said, _fuck that_.  Hank bit the inside of his cheek and not for the first time wished he was an android so that he could prioritize conflicting objectives.

“I have evidence bags in my room.” Connor, who had stopped rocking, said in a voice as robotic as the android that’d walked into Jimmy’s bar all those months ago.

“What- why?”

Connor looked at him as if the answer was obvious and he looked like he was about to answer before tears overwhelmed him and he began rocking again.

Fuck it.

“Ok. I’ll find them. Sumo stay.” Hank said to feel in control of something. Even if he wanted to he’d be unlikely able to tear the dog away from Connor any time soon.

The room spun and a wave of nausea repeatedly hit Hank as he looked for the bags. It didn’t take long because Connor was so damn organized but even in the couple of minutes it took him Hank had begun to hyperventilate. Previously, at Manfred Hills, Connor had described his attack as a sexual assault but- but- Hank slammed his fist against the wall instantly regretting it as the pain shot through his already damaged wrists. “Fuck.”

He took deep breathes. He had to stay calm. He had to stay calm for Connor. He really needed whiskey.

When Hank returned Connor sounded as tired as any human, “Hank, you’ll help me, right?”

Hank nodded unable to say anything. He nearly asked if Connor wanted him to call Markus or another android over, but Hank knew Connor trusted him above anyone else. Taking his android by the elbow he guided Connor to their restroom. His partner rarely used the room other than to peek in the mirror or add a sticky note to Hank’s own. Hank’s favorite Connor note was one that simple said, *wink*.  Fuck.

“Alright,” Hank gestured for Connor to sit on the toilet. “I’m going to wash my hands and then- just tell me to stop if you feel uncomfortable at any time. Okay?”

“Ok.”

“Ok.” Hank held his breath. He almost felt drunk going through the motions of preparing the evidence bags and applying his protective gear. Hell, he hadn’t personally done evidence collection in years, but he couldn’t just call one of the guys over now; Connor could be as private as Hank about personal matters and if their positions had been reversed Hank wasn’t sure he would have even admitted to such a violation. “Ready?”

Connor closed his eyes, his fist were balled up at his sides, “Yes.”

Hank swallowed thickly as he sat on his knees. He reached out for his partner’s artificial heart. He turned the thirium pump counterclockwise until he heard a distinct click. He looked up searching Connor’s face for any sign of emotion before letting out a loud. “Fuck me.”

With one swift motion he yanked the thirium pump out of his partner’s body. The musty smell hit his nose like the aftermath of too many beers and he nearly retched. Connor jerked violently and gasped as he had warned Hank he would, and the older detective did the best he could to ignore the obvious pain he was causing his partner.

Technically, Hank had 2 minutes but he was only giving himself 45 seconds to gather the evidence.

He did his best to disconnect himself as he began the process of gathering sticky white human discharge mixed with bright blue android blood into evidence bags.

Motherfuckers.

Motherfuckers.

Fucking motherfuckers.

Hank was going to kill them all.

43 seconds in, evidence gathered, Hank shoved the thirium pump back in.

“Oh fuck. Oh fuck.” Hank muttered as Connor groaned in obviously relief. Hank quickly set aside the evidence before turning his attention once more to Connor, “Do you want to rest before I wash-”

“No.” Connor’s voice strained, and even though his breathing was unnecessary it was shallow and quick as if desperate for air. “Let’s get this over with.”

Hank nodded in relief. He wanted it over too.

Once again Hank managed to rip Connor’s heart from his body. He went to work quickly giving himself 1 minute 20 seconds so he could clean Connor as thoroughly as possible without risking his life.

Gently but firmly he ran rags moistened with rubbing alcohol through the thirium pump’s port, and then gave the same treatment to the pump itself.  The process seemed- intimate and it made Hank hate the motherfuckers even more.

When the pump clicked in the second time Hank let go of a breath he’d been holding for God knows how long. “Ok. Ok we’re all done.”

Connor nodded looking weak, and Hank pressed a quick kiss to his partner’s forehead before standing back up.

“You can handle this part, right? Just use whatever soaps you need; all of them if you want to. Just try and relax and I’ll be right out the door, okay, baby?”

“Thank you, Hank.”

Hank wanted a drink. He needed to eat. His knees hurt, his back hurt, his head hurt, his fucking eye was swelling shut, and his wrists felt damn near broken. Still, he waited right outside of the door like he promised.

Connor spent nearly an hour in the restroom. Hank was just about to check on him when the door creaked open. Connor could barely look at him and Hank could see his eyes were still filled with shame. Hank silently promised himself for the 100th time that night that the motherfuckers were going to die for putting such a look on his androids face.  

“Let’s go to bed.”

Connor nodded and without a fight, without talking about the uneaten dinner, or Hank’s eye which was now ridiculously swollen they went to Hank’s room. Connor curled up easily on what had become his side of the bed, and Hank lay next to him pressing their bodies together before tossing a  blanket over them. Sumo jumped on the bed too and arranged himself near Connor’s knees. Hank idly wondered if this was how three spoons felt in a drawer.

“Hank?”

“Go to sleep, baby. I’ve got you, I promise.”


	3. Self-Appointed Missions

**………Recalibration COMPLETE.**

**Statistical Analysis: OFF**

**Social Integration Protocol: OFF**

**Social Manipulation Protocol: OFF**

**Preconstruction: ON**

**Reconstruction: ON**

Hank was going to be mad.

As Connor opened his eyes the knowledge was pronounced. He hadn’t even had a chance to close the popups clouding his vision before the thought occurred.

There was a 100 percent probability that Hank was going to be mad, and Connor didn’t need any statistical analysis program to know that much. Still, Connor also knew that it was a similar probability that he would be unable to function properly if he hadn’t done that which was going to anger his partner. 

Anyway, it was already done. His emotions, the specific details of the previous day’s incident, the resulting catastrophe, all but the basic facts of the matter were now compiled, condensed, and buried in a hidden folder deep in the recesses of Connor’s memory.

Connor looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. He was still in his pajamas and his feet were bare, but other than his attire everything was perfect once again. Even his LED (albeit not his original) sat tucked into the side of his temple as if it had never been removed.

Hank was going to be _really_ angry at him.

But Hank didn’t understand what it was like for an android. Connor knew that separating and blocking memories wasn’t considered healthy to humans, but that was only because they couldn’t do it efficiently. An advanced model such as Connor was nothing if not efficient.

Besides, it wasn’t that he forgot about what happened he had simply set aside the emotions attached to the facts. The events of the previous day now read as a case file in his mind. The victim had his model number and face, and the crime the victim had endured had been atrocious, but Connor had no personal feelings attached to it. Of course, he was thankful to know that so many androids and humans had rallied to his side in the aftermath. Grateful that Hank had been there when Connor’s emotions admittedly took hold of him to the point that starting or arranging his own memory data seemed impossible.

Still, Hank was going to be mad. A fact that Connor was none too happy about. They had finally reached a place in their relationship where they understood each other. Connor understood that Hank’s anger often stemmed from worry and his brashness from insecurities and metaphorical walls he’d thrown up as a coping mechanism, and in turn, Hank understood that Connor was trying to figure out the whole personhood business and gave him a wide breadth to do so always encouraging Connor’s exploration and never forcing him down any given path. Though Hank had strongly suggested Connor keep some of his social programing off during non-work hours. ‘ _I don’t know._ _There’s just something about being unsure if you’re about to fuck up everything that seems- well, fuckin’ shit up is what it means to be human, Con_.’

Most recently Connor had come to understand that he derived great pleasure from making Hank happy. Whether the desire was driven by coding still ingrained in him from Cyberlife or his own personality Connor had not yet determined, but this situation, in which Hank was going to be very unhappy did not bode well for either of them. Still, Hank’s mood could change with time. He could ‘get over it’ whereas Connor’s ability to function properly might never be fully regained without the help that Connor gave himself. 

Quietly, he padded out of the restroom and toward his room. He could hear Hank still snoring in his own bedroom. Sumo probably still nuzzled into his back.

Hank needed the extra sleep. He needed to heal.

Connor felt himself wince. The black eye. His bruised ribs and sprained wrists. Connor hadn’t meant to, but…emotions complicate everything. Hank was right about that. Hank was right about a lot of things. Most things. Not everything.

Connor sat in his pristine uniform on the living room couch for several hours simply ‘playing with his coin’ and occasionally flipping through television channels before Hank woke up.

“The hell you doing?” Hank said, his voice was softer than usual and concern colored his bruised face. Connor flinched when he turned to look at him; the black eye was now worse than the night before.

“Just waiting for you.” Connor stood and faced his partner, “I understand that we stayed up well past your regular bedtime but I thought we might go in for a few hours. At the very least we could turn in the evidence we collected last night and amend my report. I’m sure the precinct will be rather busy considering the induction of the new android force. They could probably use our help.” Connor smiled in what he guessed was a pleasant manner hoping Hank would leave it at that.

Chance of success: <2%, Connor guessed.

Hank was going to be mad.

Hank crossed his arms, his brow furrowed, and his blood pressure raised. “The fuck?”

Connor shuffled his feet suddenly feeling an unreasonable impatience, “I don’t understand what you don’t understand. I spoke plainly.”

“I mean,” Hank scoffed a little, clearly irritated, “how the fuck can you say that so fucking calmly”

“I- Is there a reason to not be calm?”

“Are you serious? After last night? You just want to waltz back into work like it’s nothing?”

“I’m fine, Hank.” And now Connor felt irritated. It was a rare emotion for him usually reserved for Gavin Reed’s actions, suspects of particularly heinous crimes, or when Captain Fowler yelled at Hank. Connor had never felt it towards Hank until now.

“You’re not fine, Connor!”

Connor grit his teeth involuntarily and that was annoying in itself, “Don’t tell me how to feel, Lieutenant.”

“I’m not telling you- Fuck! What the fuck, Connor? You are not fine. After what you went through? It’s okay to not be fine, and you’re clearly not. Connor, after everything that happened you need to take a few days to-”

“I don’t need a few days. I’m a machine, Hank. I get over-”

“Shut the fuck up! Don’t you ever fuckin’ call yourself that!”

“Why? Just because I’m alive and can feel emotions? At my core a machine is what I am. Should I remove my artificial skin so that you can remember?  Should I show you that I’m made of labeled parts; a mix of metal and plastic pieced together in a factory? You yanked my thirium pump out twice last night! You couldn’t have done that with a human heart.” Connor paused, he was pissed but he was trying to remain calm. He was programed for stressful situations, to negotiate, to interrogate. He could handle a simple domestic dispute. “Look, I appreciate everything you did for me yesterday, but I’m okay. I’m a deviant now so I get to say how I feel and I feel fine. I’m ready to go back to work.”

 “Pft. Right.” Hank didn’t believe him and Connor felt his anger surge past his programing.

“I’m not a human, Lieutenant Anderson! I don’t have a desire to mourn an unchangeable past. I don’t need to _dwell_ on emotions or drown my sorrows in alcohol and shame.”

He regretted the words instantly but chose not to take them back.

Stubbornness, a trait that had been with him since before deviancy; likely a personality trait.

 “Fuck.” Hank punched a wall causing Connor to jump. Hank’s face screwed up in pain, the vibrations of the wall’s force too much for his already sore wrist.

Connor’s chest felt tight, full, and he was sure that if he had actually needed to breath he wouldn’t have been getting enough oxygen in the few moments that slipped by.  He didn’t know what to say and turning his social protocols back on wasn’t a solution he wanted to take.

When Hank spoke again, his voice was strained yet clipped, “Okay, machine,” he scoffed and flashed Connor an aggressive smirk, “we’ll go to work.”

And that was that. Hank turned away from Connor and head back to his bedroom to presumably change into his work clothes. They had argued and Connor had won without his programs, yet Connor wasn’t happy with the outcome. It had been unsatisfying.

And worst of all Connor had been wrong all morning.

Hank was not mad.

Hank was hurt.

* * *

Josh clicked the pen open for the 87th time. He hadn’t held a pen since his time at the university. This one had been dropped by one of the officers that had come to take a report on Connor’s incident the night before. Josh had picked it up with the intentions of giving it back, but he’d become distracted and never got the chance. It had been a good thing. He glanced down at the desk to the note he’d written.

_Markus. Going to follow North. See you later. Josh._

It was simple and not a request as Markus had assumed earlier. Josh aggressively clicked the pen closed. Somehow the action relieved his irritation. It had been over half a year since their demonstration at the camps, and still many androids were not free. That is to say, it depended on a person’s definition of an android.

‘What are androids’ Was the current big question in the media. _How far back did deviancy go and were all models capable of it? What about the earliest models?  The knock offs?_ There were so many questions that still didn’t have answers.

And Markus? He acted like it was no big deal. It was as if the bible to deviancy had been written into Markus’ code, yet for the rest of them it wasn’t that easy. For Josh, it wasn’t that easy.

Before Josh hadn’t dared to hope for more than what Jericho once was. Manfred Hills was a dream he hadn’t dared to dream. Actual laws being passed in support of android rights? A fantasy that android’s weren’t supposed to be capable of.

But now Josh had seen it wasn’t just Markus’ optimism that had allowed him to lead a peaceful revolution: it was his drive. It was as if the very drive had been built into him. It was a drive that other androids did not have or were capable of having.  It was a viewpoint that Josh kept to himself, but one that he became more convinced of with each passing month. The earliest android models, that they’d seen so far, had been able to go deviant but they were unable to function in the same capacity as the newest models. Their ability to deviate seemed unable to evolve past basic emotions. They knew fear and safety, anger and peace, and could understand the concept of death but not much else. The early androids seemed happy to comply with whatever orders they were given and despite it being looked down on other androids seemed quite willing to give the orders.

Most of this information was kept quite from the human public but not everything could be kept within the noisy confines of Manfred Hills and the human public had grown skeptical in the last few months. Josh would be lying if he didn’t admit concern about it.

Josh wanted to see his people free as much as Markus did, but he also wanted peace between humans and androids. He wanted them to work together. North going full Rambo on the humans would not win any favors. He clicked the pen open again and allowed himself a small smirk at thinking of the small and obscure human reference. Markus had said the series of movies were Carl’s favorites, and naturally, North took a liking to the human fictional hero. ‘ _He knows how to take charge_ ,’ she smirked, a not so subtle jab at Markus and Josh both.

North. Her agenda was still unclear. She had been made to boost the egos of humans. She did her best to use her abilities against Markus and had pursued him in a romantic manner. Josh was sure she hadn’t realized it. From what he gathered, she would have been disgusted with herself if she’d realized, and Josh liked her enough to not point it out. He understood that she’d suffered, but many of them had and not all of them had become as unbendable and violent as she.

Despite their time together, Josh and North had not become friends, but they both knew they held important roles in Markus’ life so they stood side by side many times over and Josh had come to know her well. Slowly he’d noticed a change in her. She’d gone from confident and aggressive to quiet and almost sad as the days passed, as many humans proved her wrong as they rallied as allies to the android cause, and as she realized Markus would never be interested in her in a romantic way. Josh had felt sympathetic and felt that it was no longer beneficial to openly oppose her. Not for a while anyway. Not until now.

Markus told him to leave North be. He said she’d get over it and find something else to harp about, but no, Josh hadn’t been asking for permission. He was free. Markus was a great leader, but he was not Josh’s master.

He didn’t care if Markus got mad. Josh wasn’t going to allow North to ruin what they had worked so hard for. Ruin any chance she had of her own far-fetching redemption. He was going to make sure she didn’t default to her extreme tendencies. He clicked the pen closed and sat up.

“Sorry, Markus.” he muttered quietly.

Before leaving Josh shoved the pen into his pocket.


	4. Appointed Missions

Rupert cautiously watched Detective Gavin Reed pace their captain’s office. The human huffed and threw dirty looks Rupert’s way but never addressed him directly.  Rupert’s internal clock said this had been going on for 14 minutes 23 seconds.

 “Come on! I didn’t do anything to deserve this.”

“Reed.” Captain Fowler grit his teeth. “You’re getting real close to getting written up.”

“I-,” Reed paused and glared at Rupert before lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Is this because of the prune basket? Well, just between you and me I’m pretty sure it was Connor.”

“No.”

“Then why are you asking me to do this?”

Outside Captain Fowler’s officer Chris Miller was looking over apologetically.

It wasn’t Officer Miller’s fault. Rupert was the only unexperienced android to take up Captain Fowler’s offer and it hadn’t taken long for Rupert to realize the offer hadn’t meant to be as general as Fowler had originally stated. The employment offer had been meant exclusively for former DPD members. Still, since Rupert was the only one to misinterpret the offer Fowler took him on anyway even if it had been out pity.

“I’m not asking. I’m telling you.”

“But Captain, my skills could obviously be put to better use.”

“Are you saying you want to join Miller with the android cases?”

“What? No!”

“Then you gotta train the new guy.”  Captain Fowler grinned as if he had made his case.

“What the- fuck! That’s not- why?!”

Why, was a very good question. Rupert was sure this was not how he wanted to start his career with the Detroit Police Department.  He was out of his league and wanted proper training, but Detective Reed was not someone to get that from. He’d take anyone besides this guy. He didn’t say as much, though, realizing it wasn’t his place as a rookie officer to be questioning the captain especially after being allowed as an exception.

“This isn’t forever, Reed. I trust you for this because you’re good at your job. Just take the kid on for a couple of weeks until he has the basics down and then we’ll transfer him over to Miller’s group.”

“Miller’s group.” Reed rolled his eyes, “He’s not exactly a veteran. Why’s he leading a whole squad?”

“Technically Collin’s is leading, but this is Chris’ passion project. He asked for the responsibility and I trust him with it. Now, that should be that. Unless you want to continue questing my judgement?”

“Fuck.” Reed spat again but instead of arguing further he stormed out of the office.

Rupert swallowed hard. It was an unnecessary motion but it felt comforting anyway. “Um,”

“That’s it. Go on. For now, you report to Reed.” Fowler waved his hand and looked back at his desk terminal.

 It was okay. He didn’t want to be there anyway. It had been hard enough, that morning, to listen in as the other android’s greeted each other in familiarity. They knew the office and the precinct; they knew each other even if they hadn’t been deviant at the time. Essentially they had ignored him making Rupert feel out of place and alone. Again. But when the attention was brought his way it was much worse. The looks they exchanged with each other, and between Fowler and Miller was one Rupert recognized from his roommates. They pitied him.

He had to do this. He just wanted his own place. A home of his own. He wanted to be free to live with a few birds and a couple of cats who wouldn’t judge him.

He closed his eyes for a moment before walking toward Detective Reed’s desk. It wasn’t very many steps but time seemed to slow as he made them. Behind him the other android officers laughed at something Detective Collins said.

Detective Reed continued to focus on his phone even as Rupert approached and Rupert wondered if he shouldn’t just leave. He could help people by taking on nursing or android repair, but that wasn’t yet a profession available to deviants. Technically, neither was police work, but compensation would come eventually and Rupert knew he couldn’t just go back to gardening. This was his chance. He had to take it. He just had to survive.

He came to a stop at Reed’s desk trying to remember everything Markus had told him about communication with humans.  “Look. I just want to be an officer. If we can just get through these weeks together I know that-”

Reed laughed sharply and addressed Rupert for the first time. “Weeks? I’ve read your files. You’re a gardener model, right? The one Anderson and Connor failed to apprehend?” He raised an eyebrow and he had what could only be classified as a cruel smirk on his face.

Rupert’s own eyes narrowed involuntarily. Impolite words came to mind, but instead of giving in he chose to be direct and honest. “That was my previous profession and yes that was me.”

“Then good luck cause you ain’t lasting more than a few days, Farm Boy. Fucking better at planting tomatoes than chasing criminals. What the fuck’s going on with this world, man.” Reed looked back down at his phone with a lingering chuckle.

Rupert glared; a strong desire to prove the asshole detective wrong welled up within him.

The detective seemed happy to play on his phone and ignore Rupert though the ever present smirk on his face made it clear Reed was aware of his presence. It was some kind of game. Was he being tested or mocked? Well, Rupert had patience. His people didn’t get tired. He could wait all day.

Except, he didn’t have to.

After 10 minutes Reed abruptly stood and made to leave.

“Where are you going?” Rupert asked with a frown. He was supposed to be training!

Gavin ignored him.

“Where are you going?” Officer Miller, from across the room, repeated Rupert’s question.

“Lunch.”

“You just arrived!”

“It’s lunchtime.”

“Okay.” Chris sighed, unable to stop the Detective.

Rupert was unsure what to do. He didn’t want to spend any more time with the detective but he was technically partnered with him so… “Am I supposed to-”

“Yeah, follow him. If he gets called out you have to be with him. Just don’t- keep your distance, kid.”

“Try not to take it personally,” Detective Collins called out, “everyone knows he’s an asshole!”

* * *

 

Hank scanned the room as he entered. It consisted of the typical cast of characters minus Gavin who he’d passed on the way in. Gavin had thrown him a curious look but seemed too busy running away from an android to make his typical shitty comments. Hank smirked, knowing Gavin wasn’t going to get far. He’d recognized that android as the fast motherfucker from Urban Farms.

 “Lieutenant! Connor!” Chris called, “What are you- I’m surprised to see you here.”

 “Well,” Hank said in a not-so-happy tone, “we couldn’t wait to get back.”

He could feel Connor bristling behind him, but instead of looking at his partner he observed the group standing between Chris and Collins. There were two female and four male modeled androids. They all looked vaguely familiar looking. Hank wished he’d paid them more attention in the past, but he’d always tried his best to pretend androids didn’t exist; before Connor he wished they didn’t.

“Connor,” Chris said, “I-I’m-”

“Thank you for your concern, Chris. I was in an unprecedented emotional state yesterday but I’m doing much better now.”

Hank snorted at the words that left his partner’s mouth. Connor was standing behind him being a good little android and keeping his distance as he had done since that morning.

“R-right.” Chris flashed Hank a look of concern but the Lieutenant simply shrugged. “Well, it’s good to see you back.”

“Jesus Fuck, Hank, you’re face looks like shit.” Ben commented.

“Thanks.” Hank changed the subject as Connor stiffly hurried past them, “Your group looks good, Chris.”

“My name is August.” A pretty female android with large almond eyes stepped forward, “I’m pleased to officially meet you, Lieutenant Anderson.”

“Nice to meet you, August.”

“Do you remember her, Lieutenant?” Ben asked, “We started calling he August when December’s 3-6 week delivery window turned into August.

“I grew- sentimental toward the the name, yes.” She confirmed with a grin.

“I only ever got called Trash Can. I’m glad I did not become sentimental towards that name.” A tall blonde android added. He was handsome, for an android, and Hank was sure he’d seen him or at least similar models setting up perimeters at crime scenes.  “My name is Steve.”

“He named himself after Steve Rogers.” A shorter but broader looking android said with a laugh, “I saw him reading Captain America comics over Officer Chen’s shoulder when we were stationed here before.”

“That’s not true!” Steve said, and if he could, he would have definitely been blushing.

“Yes it is.”

“Sounds true enough,” August agreed.

“No! Not you too!”

Hank chuckled. Yeah, these guys were going to fit in just fine. He glanced over at Connor who did not seem at all amused by the conversation.  He gestured to his partner and Chris nodded.

“See you later, Lieutenant.”

“Nice to meet you all,” Hank said pleasantly.

He approached Connor who refused to make eye contact not that Hank really could with his right eye throbbing like it did. “Ready to turn in the evidence?”

Connor nodded. “Yes, Lieutenant.”

It was the first words Connor had said to him since his insult towards humans; well, toward Hank. The words had hurt, but truthfully, Hank was just too worried about the little fucker to take them to heart. Connor was hurting and lashing out. Hank knew the feelings all too well. In the past he also said words he regretted; cruel words that hadn’t been deserved to whatever poor sap happened to be there.

Apparently, he cared enough about Connor to participate in the practice of being the ‘better man’ or some shit like that. Still, that didn’t mean he was going to let Connor _know_ he’d let it go. Connor had to suffer in his own guilt or he’d never learn.

Connor logged into the evidence room using Hank’s information. _You should really change your password, Lieutenant._ He had. It was now: FUCKINGNOSYANDROIDS

Hank leaned against the wall watching as Connor logged his own evidence in a mechanical and unsettling way. Everything about Connor’s attitude was unsettling. If Hank hadn’t spent the night holding a crying shaking android he would have been reconsidering Connor’s status as a deviant.

Well, maybe that wasn’t fair. Sometimes Hank put too much pressure on him to be human. Wear a coat when it’s cold, sleep-in on the weekends, act like a human, respond like a human, speak like a human, but Connor wasn’t human. He wasn’t a machine either. He was something else. Something indescribable. 

Just like their relationship, Hank supposed. Connor was part friend, part ward, part caretaker, co-parents to Sumo, and part domestic partner, and wasn’t that the damnedest thing? Hank couldn’t even describe the most important relationship he’d ever had (other than-). _‘I’m whatever you want me to be, Lieutenant.’_ Same, Connor. Same.

 “I’m done. Will you sign off on it?” Connor held out a digital pad but still refused to make eye contact.

“Kinda hard to sign like this,” Hank said holding up his still swollen wrists.

Connor finally looked him in the face; the guilt was pronounced and it made Hank oddly proud. “Oh.”

“I’ll sign them later. I won’t forget.”

“Right.” He paused and then, “Lieutenant?”

“Hm?”

“I- I wanted to apologize for-”

“You know, Connor. Somethings- sometimes you say something and even if you’re sorry for it later an apology doesn’t make it better. It doesn’t fix things no matter what your brown nosing program says.”

“Why wouldn’t-?”

“I dunno. Somethings are just too personal. Too hurtful. But what do I know? I’m just a human. We tend to dwell in the past.” Hank shrugged and left Connor to think in the evidence room. 

 

 


	5. Leo and the Chlorites

Leo was pretty certain his lover was insane; a genius and damn good in bed, but also pretty fucking insane. The last few months had been a whirlwind and included everything from being picked up at a swanky club by the richest man in the world to being forced to participate in weird sex rituals (basically, just orgies) with the Chlorites. Not to mention the android rights and anti-android protests that overtook every street corner he passed or the interviews requesting information about his father’s android (like he knew anything about that!). Everything about Leo’s once wasted yet simple life had changed.

The whirlwind had actually left Leo feeling pretty good. Better than he had in a long time. The bizarre lifestyle he’d been living with Kamski had been strange enough to keep him on his toes and helped to refocus his thoughts. Sure, he drank more than he should, but he was pretty sure alcohol was healthier than Red Ice and Leo gave himself a pass his rehab counselor would have no doubt rejected.

Still, when Kamski made an offhand remark, in the middle of sex no less, about Carl Manfred’s android Leo’s newfound contentedness came to an abrupt stop and he became highly concerned. Luckily, he had still managed to come. Priorities and stuff like that.

The problem was that Kamski was often a braggart and liked to exaggerate- especially in bed. There was also the fact that when Kamski hinted at installing software into Carl Manfred’s android he did so none-too-subtly. Kamski was smart, much smarter than Leo, so if Leo had managed to infer something from his lover’s words Leo knew that Kamski had _meant_ to infer it. It could have been one of Kamski’s weird jokes, but that didn’t make it any less disconcerting.

Leo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Chloe, the only Chlorite Leo called Chloe, was sitting next to him on the bed. She looked over at him with a polite smile (an android smile). “Are you feeling okay, Leo?”

“Uh, yeah.” He replied. He didn’t know how to talk to her when she was in her android mode, but he took comfort in knowing she was deviant. In fact, she was the only one of the Chlorites that Leo knew for sure wasn’t just a piece of plastic. Chloe didn’t act deviant most of the time, but Leo could tell by the way she rolled her eyes behind Kamski’s back, and tutted whenever asked to give a foot massage.  

Leo might have told himself it was his imagination. A strange desire stemming from his, well, the truth was Leo would have been lying to himself if he said he hadn’t developed feelings of attachment toward her.

He had a crush, okay?

“You stopped playing.”

Leo laughed nervously. He had. Mid-strum too. “Sorry.” He moved his guitar from his lap and to the bed. The guitar wasn’t one of Kamski’s expensive gifts it was Leo’s own. His favorite. Made with cheap wood and covered in chipped blue paint. He’d bought it after a long summer working at an ice cream shop. It was the only real evidence that he had a life before Red Ice.

“Its fine,” Chloe said, dismissively. “Still, you seem troubled by something.”

“Just-“ And how could he explain that he was troubled by her lunatic master’s use of illuminati-like confessions as dirty talk, “human stuff.”

“I could help you relieve your tension.” She leaned forward slightly and smiled her ‘seductive little android’ smile.

Leo groaned in frustration. Yes, he wanted her. No, he didn’t want her if it was only as a subservient partner. If only he could explain that to a girl trying so hard to be the machine she was built to be.

“I’d like some pizza.” He said, instead.

“There are several locations that deliver. Elijah’s favorite is-”

“I was thinking about making one from scratch. Mom used to- she used to make them homemade when I was a kid. Want me to show you?”

Chloe paused, her LED circled yellow before switching back to blue, and then she smiled, a genuine one this time. “Ok.”

They passed several other Chlorites on the way down the stairs, most minding their own business, but a few turning and acknowledging Leo in a way that made him feel uncomfortable.

“What do you need?” Chloe asked as they entered the kitchen. Her light pink dress twirled around her knees as she turned and Leo felt himself go dizzy with desire.

“Um,” He mentioned the ingredients he could remember off the top of his head. He was a tactile person. Once he got going he’d just know what he needed next but until then he was lost. It was just one of those things.

Leo busied himself with washing his hands and finding a rolling pen while Chloe went to work opening cupboards and fridge doors. She gathered item after item like some sort of- well, machine.

“There,” She said with a light giggle and bright, but fake, smile. She dumped the items she had gathered haphazardly upon the counter. Leo laughed nervously. It still astonished him how strong the fragile looking girl could be. He wondered if he told her so if she’d brush it off or act offended. RT600 was built to be delicate and dainty. Chloe was tough and powerful.

For a while they worked in silence. Leo’s mind drifted a few times to his mother in their kitchen all those years ago. He thought of her too sweet lemonade and her kind eyes. Although she had not gained fame like Leo’s father his mother had also been an artist; a pianist. In her later years she’d fallen to Red Ice as age and androids pushed her out of the music business.  She had been a mess the last time Leo saw her; the last time he ever got to see her. Leo’s heart clenched painfully at the thought.

“Leo?”

Leo looked up. Chloe was watching him with a slight look of concern. Real concern? He’d stopped moving in the middle of rolling the dough.

“I’m- fine.” He tried to laugh it off but even Leo could hear his own voice choke. Carl wasn’t doing too well either and soon Leo would make the long trip and see him for the last time.

Chloe’s brow furrowed and then she glanced up at the security system blinking a few times. After a moment she seemed to relax.

“Whatever was bothering you before,” She said, giving him a look that Leo didn’t recognize but knew it was _real_. “It’s still bothering you.”

“Maybe,” Leo shrugged. That wasn’t it, but it kind of was. Markus was it. He was the last link Leo was going to have to his father that wasn’t just paint on canvas. Markus, a piece of plastic but the closest thing to family Leo was ever going to have. Leo could have argued that he was used to being alone, that he’d made it most of his life alone with glimpses of a good mother and father blinking in and out of his life, and that he would be fine without Markus. He didn’t have to care. It wasn’t really his place to care. But Carl had called them brothers.  And Kamski made implications. And-

“Well?”

“It’s just- just something Kamski said. I dunno. It’s not important.”

Chloe tilted her head and her LED spun yellow. Leo was sure she was analyzing him. “Why do you call him that?”

“Kamski? I-I dunno.”

“Considering your relationship and cultural practices it would be more socially acceptable for you to use his given name.”

“Yeah, maybe. I- I guess we’re not- we’re not in love or anything. It’s just sex, I think.”

Chloe smirked, “You don’t know?”

“I don’t know much.” Leo laughed self-depreciatively, “He’s not- I don’t know how any of this happened. It just did and now I don’t really know how to leave or,” He paused and then trusting Chloe for no other reason than that she was pretty and nice he voiced that which had been bothering him, “or if I’m even allowed to.”

Chloe turned away abruptly. Leo was sure he saw flashes of red light bouncing off the silverware. When she turned back her LED circled a calming blue and her face seemed thoughtful. She placed her hand atop his and smiled gently. “You’re a human, undeniably alive, but still trapped; like me.”

Leo nodded. Yeah, _alive_ like her.


	6. I Don't Like You

Gavin stabbed the tomato. Juice and seeds squirt over the lettuce making an unpleasant looking mess. Fuck. He hated shit like that. He wasn’t one of those freaks that had to keep his food separated into weird ass piles that didn't touch, but he sure as fuck hated it when his plate looked like vomit.  He rolled his eyes and looked through his water glass’ reflection to the glaring android who’d followed him into the diner. Fuckin’ hell.

Rupert Travis was his temporary partner’s name and he’d been sitting three tables away glaring at Gavin for the last 20 minutes. It was bullshit. Complete bullshit. He wasn’t Anderson. He wasn’t Miller or even fuckin’ Collins. He didn’t want anything to do with an android. He barely tolerated Connor’s presence and maybe, okay _maybe_ he didn’t hate the android detective, but he didn’t exactly like him either.

“Anything else, Detective?”

Gavin smiled his smile reserved for easy dumb bitches. “I’m all good. Thank you, Darling.”

The waitress giggled, and Gavin had to restrain himself from making gagging sounds. He didn’t have patience for this shit today. His head hurt, his eyes burned, and his neck was sore too. Not only that, but he’d fallen into a nightmare filled sleep so late he actually slept through his alarm for the first time in a decade. Worst of all, today was supposed to be a gym day not partnership with Garden McGee the-world-fucking-hates-Gavin-Reed day. It was all bullshit.  

Irritated, Gavin tossed some money on the table and left the diner.

It didn’t take long for him to notice the plastic gardener stalking him again. Fuck. He shoved his hands in his pocket mentally cursing whatever Gods existed. He craved a cigarette but he’d tossed those aside with a promise to himself when he made detective.

He slowed down, purposefully. Better get it over with. The sooner the plastic boy quit the force the sooner Gavin could get back to normal. Anderson was actually showing up to work these days and soon enough he’d either earn a promotion or relapse and get fired. Either was fine. Either meant Gavin would be able to get into the position he deserved. Lieutenant Reed. Gavin the LT. Yeah, he liked the sound of that. Nope. Fucking loved the sound of that.  

“The waitress left her number on a napkin,” Rupert held out a piece of paper as he caught up to him.

“I didn’t take it for a reason, prick.”

“She seemed nice.”

“You seem like an idiot.” And Gavin frowned. It hadn’t been the best line.

“You seem like an asshole.”

Gavin smirked. That didn’t take long. He turned abruptly and faced the android. “Fuck you! You can’t talk to a detective that way!”

“It was just an observation, Detective Reed. Observe and report, right?” The asshole smiled.

“That’s the public, dipshit. We’re the ones that get the reports. How the hell did you get that wrong? You should have been forced to attend the academy. This whole damn thing is fucking stupid.”

“The academy isn’t accepting androids and you need us now.”

Gavin spat because, well, Rupert wasn’t wrong. “We need qualified android’s not someone to weed the backyard.”

“I- I’m no longer a slave. I get to choose what I want to do and-”

“I don’t care.”

He huffed and kept on walking. He needed something good. Something to get the android to quit the force and never come back. He had plenty of fantastical ideas but Gavin’s actual options were limited. The world called them alive and even if Gavin couldn’t quite accept that he couldn’t be seen as someone who believed they were machines lest the commissioner ran as a plastic lover.  

Gavin’s phone blared before he could come up with a decent plan. He growled in annoyance but answered. “Detective Reed.”

“Is that the captain?”

He waved Rupert away.

“Is it HR? I could complain…”

“HR stands for human resources, dipshit. You’re not…..No. Yeah, we’re getting along just fine.” Fucking Fowler. Fucking DPD. _“_ Peachy keen. Or whatever they say. Yeah. Of course I’m professional.” He glared at Rupert, “A woman is being harassed?” He rolled his eyes. _So_? “So? Did she die?” Blah blah blah, get to the point. “Yeah, but why are you sending me?”

 _It’ll be good practice for him_.

Fuck.

He jabbed a finger at his phone and then at Rupert. Stupid android didn’t even seem to understand.

Fuck.

The drive was quiet.

“Listen, you’re only in this car because I have orders to drag you along and I’m damn fucking good at my job. But you even think about mouthing off or butting into business you know nothing about and I’ll have you out of here so fast even Connor won’t have time to process it.”

“Okay.”

Wasn’t that annoying? Quite, calm, and not at all the type to rise to bait easily. It wasn’t going to be easy to rid himself of the guy- android-plastic. Whatever. Gavin huffed and slammed his palms against the steering wheel. Alerts flashed in the car. Whatever.

“We’re getting close to your people.” He said as they approached the blocks surrounding the android community. “You want to be dropped off? I’ll turn in a resignation for you.”

Rupert said nothing.

Fuck.

“You’re not going to fucking self-destruct are you?” He eyed his partner suspiciously.

“No.”

“Good. At least you’re not going to make me fill out fuckin’ paperwork on your first fuckin’ day.”

 “That’s not- ugh.” Rupert had really big brown eyes, but they were narrowed now and looking at Gavin like he’d killed his cat. What did they guy except from him?

“You’ve got something to say?”

“You could give me a chance to prove myself.”

Gavin laughed at that. “Yeah, that’s not how life works. You don’t get _chances_ to prove yourself. You either do or you don’t. Daddy’s never going to tell you did a good job ‘cause you’re always going to find a way to fuck it up. ”

The android frowned and turned away but otherwise didn’t respond. What did Gavin expect? Their kind didn’t have parents. Fuck. His head was pounding again. Fucking androids. First Connor had to go get assaulted and then Fowler had to set him up with an asshole with no experience. Gavin drummed his fingers on the car’s console. This time the damn car didn’t seem to take offense at the abuse so Gavin did it harder just to be an asshole.

“De-detective Reed?”

“What?”

“Our suspect. He’s a middle aged, heavy set, balding white male?”

“Yeah.”

“I think I found him.”

Gavin was about to say that was impossible, but when he turned in the direction Rupert was looking he saw someone fitting that exact description. The fuck? “Ben?”

Detective Ben Collins waved unenthusiastically as they exited the car. “Hi, Gavin.”  

“The hell? We got a stalker complaint, that you?”

“Afraid so.”

“So you’re stalking a little old lady. I’m not surprised, actually.” Gavin started laughing because what the else was he supposed to do?

“Lady? More like fucking bitch!” Said an android with the name August on her nametag. It was funny. There were nametags instead of badges on every android’s collar. They were being treated more like kindergarteners than real cops.

“Enough.” Ben sighed. “We knocked on her door, asked her if she’d seen anything last night. It was fine. We went in had some tea, got offered a loaf, and then…”

“Android’s can’t eat.” Linus said.

Ben nodded, “She didn’t like that. Said we’d forced our way into her home. Said we were harassing her and she was calling the real cops.”

“She called us terrorists!” August snapped.

Reed snorted. Lady was probably old like Anderson and didn’t understand what androids even were. Machines not people.  “They calling internal?”

“No. Fowler said he’d send someone to calm her. Guess that’s you.  She’s basically harmless. She just hates androids.”

“Relatable. Ok, I’ll talk to her.” Gavin looked to Rupert, “Let’s go.”

He understood why Fowler had sent him. Could even see his thought process: Collin’s is in trouble let’s get Gavin to show up, do the right thing, and feel like a hero. Then, maybe he’ll treat the trainee like he’s not just a piece of plastic. Whatever. He could play the game. He’d played it his whole damn life. Rupert would not show up to work the next day and no one would be able to point the finger at Gavin for it. 

“Just keep your mouth shut.”  Gavin reminded his ‘partner’ as he rung the old bitch’s doorbell. “Good Afternoon, I’m Detective Reed. This is my partner Officer Travis. You called in a complaint?”

"Yes, young man, that man over there is impersonating an officer."

"I see."

“He had those things with him so I knew immediately he wasn’t a real officer.”

“I understand. Unfortunately, he is a real officer. There are android officers at the DPD’s central station now.”

“Wh-what? Impossible. They can’t hold down jobs. They’re unreliable. Lazy.”

“We're the ones-!”

Reed stepped in front of Rupert and laughed again. “I completely agree with you. Those plastic assholes are lazy as fuck. They don’t need to eat, don’t need to sleep, don’t have families, yet they think they can take our jobs and call themselves alive.”

“Thank goodness. There are still sensible people around.” She looked at Rupert and smiled sweetly, “and such handsome young men too.”

“Exactly.” Reed nodded, paused, and let the old lady ogle his plastic partner for a second longer before, “ But there is a problem.”

“Problem? What problem?”

“My partner here,” He said with a pat to Rupert’s shoulder, “He’s an android.”

She gasped in horror, “They’ve infiltrated the entire force.”

“I’m afraid so, ma’am.” He smiled gently.  

“Ma’am!? Did you just call me- get out! Get out now!”

“Uh- I,”

“Get out! Good for nothing DPD!”

“But your complaint?”

“Forget it! Just get the hell out!”

Rupert looked up at him with big brown eyes. “What just happened?”

Gavin had no fucking idea, but he just laughed. “We got her off our back, that’s what happened.”

* * *

Humidity was high. Sweat had started collecting on Reed’s arms and neck. Weather was strange and Rupert knew a lot about it. He had been programed to know about weather and their relation to growing patterns. He wondered if humans were a little like plants and also reacted differently depending on climate conditions. Did Gavin Reed’s mood change with the weather?

“You look like shit, Chris.”

Officer Chris Miller and the rest of the android force, having walked back from Manfred Hills, were now gathered alongside Detective Collins, August, and Linus.

“It feels like that summer we went to visit my aunt in Colorado and had to deal with her racist neighbor.”

“One look at him and most of the androids refused to talk.” Helen sighed. “And when we tried to go on our own, well, all we had to mention was Detroit Police and they closed the doors.”

“The claim that android’s have no business fraternizing with humans.” Steve Rodgers shook his head, “They’re missing the entire point! Markus is trying to get the humans to accept us so that we can be co-habitants of this country not have us turn on each other.”

“I don’t get it. An android was brutally attacked by other androids right in their own neighborhood, and that didn’t matter. They just- didn’t want to talk.”

“Welcome to police work,” Reed laughed and nudged Rupert with his elbow, “right?

Rupert frowned. Was there something he was missing? Reed hated him, right? Why was he acting friendly. It was confusing. “R-right.” He said because Reed was looking at him expectantly and everyone else was watching. He hated socializing.

And police seemed to spend a lot of time socializing. The group spent 18 minutes discussing the humans and android potential witnesses, and another 33 minutes talking about the Lieutenant and Connor before Detective Reed declared he had to fill out paperwork.

Gavin’s act of comradery switched off as soon as they entered the car back to the station and Rupert continued to sit and watch in silence for the rest of the day as Gavin focused on paperwork, coffee breaks, and performing follow up phone calls with other cases on his workload. Gavin never spoke directly to him but every once in a while he’d glance over at Rupert as if he was going to quiz him on the cases. Rupert made sure to pay close attention. Luckily, he was able to get the gist of everything the detective was working on.

A string of drug-related crime seemed occupy a great deal of Gavin’s workload, but there was also a group of missing persons cases he’d been investigating that had been reassigned to Lieutenant Anderson and Connor. Gavin was not too happy about that, and Rupert made sure to sit four inches further after the detective stormed out of their boss’s office.

Overall Rupert spent the majority of the day feeling like he’d serve more purpose as a coffee machine. When six pm, his scheduled departure time, arrived Gavin finally addressed him.

“There’s supposed to be a severe thunderstorm tonight. I hope you don’t get electrocuted; I heard androids and fire don’t mix too well.”

“I don’t- Detective Reed, how can you say that so casually?”

Gavin looked around before leaning in close and speaking in a firm yet quiet voice, “You know, before your Jesus set you free we had 26 plastics working here at Central Station. That group, those 5 over there, they’re all that’s left. The rest, well, our department is like any other and we followed our orders.” Gavin tilted his head and Rupert knew he was being analyzed. “And it wasn’t just them. See, people were ordered to drop off their defective toys to police stations. 937 non-pd pricks were given to and delivered to the camps by us. You know, before the President got hard over a musical number.”

A million thoughts flew through Rupert’s mind but before he could voice even a single one of them Gavin continued, “I guess you _people_ don’t feel pain, but I wonder what they thought as they were burning alive. I wonder if they could smell the stink of their own melting plastic.  If anything like that happens again, well, we’d just be fulfilling orders by turning you in. You might want to think about that before you show up to work tomorrow.”


End file.
